Volleyball Receives AVCA Team Academic Award

The Canisius volleyball team received a Team Academic Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the second consecutive season. To qualify for the award, the team needs to have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.30.

The Golden Griffins were one of 134 schools at the Division I level to receive the award, which has been given since the 1992-93 season. The AVCA recognized a record number of teams at the Division I level.

“Too often athletic participation is associated with academic underachievement and this stereotype is simply false when it comes to volleyball,” AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer said. “Couple the smarts represented by these teams with the competitive experience and team-focused training gained on the court and we have a potent formula for future leadership. What a significant contribution that is by their coaches and schools.”

The AVCA Team Academic Award is the second academic award given to the Golden Griffins in the past two months as the NCAA recognized Canisius with a Public Recognition Award in June. The Griffs received that honor for the sixth time since 2004-05, the most of any volleyball program in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Canisius ranked in the top-10 percent of all volleyball teams in the multi-year Academic Progress Rate.

The Canisius volleyball team opens the 2014 season on Friday, Aug. 29, in the Buffalo Invite, hosted by the University at Buffalo. The Golden Griffins take on the University at Mississippi with match time set for 10 a.m.